Plows still haven't reached park pass

With west-side plows still a mile short of Logan Pass, Glacier National Park is on pace for one of the latest cross-park openings of Going-to-the-Sun Road.

As of Friday, plows were working in the Rimrocks area, still encountering 25-foot drifts.

East of the pass, crews have completed plowing in the Lunch Creek about a mile shy of the pass and have reached the Big Drift just east of Logan Pass, typically the last big obstacle in the annual road clearing effort.

Snow depths up to 50 feet have been encountered on the east side.

Over the last 60 years, the latest opening for Logan Pass on record was July 2 in 2008, when crews were delayed by a heavy snowpack and 2 to 3 feet of new snow falling on June 10.

The latest all-time record was July 10, 1943, when the park was short-staffed because of World War II.

This year, park officials say the road-opening challenge is complicated by unprecedented winter snowfall and late spring snow storms along with low temperatures that have slowed snowmelt.

Lower sections of Sun Road are open, but paving work is under way between Logan Creek and the West Tunnel. Once that work is completed, there will be increased access beyond Avalanche Creek.

Hiker-biker access on the west side of Sun Road will be limited this weekend by the paving work. Hikers and bikers can travel 3 1/2 miles beyond Avalanche Campground.

On Monday, night work will resume and no travel will be allowed beyond Avalanche Monday night through Friday morning for hikers and bikers.

Although lingering snow delayed campground openings on the east side of the park, the Two Medicine and Cut Bank campgrounds are now open and ready for campers.

There are a total of 11 vehicle campgrounds open in Glacier.

Park officials anticipate higher flows on creeks and rivers over the next few weeks, and visitors are reminded to use caution around water.

More info

Links for photos, video clips, road conditions, plowing status, and ranger-led activities can be found online at http://www.nps.gov/glac/index.htm.

For backcountry camping and trail status, visit the park’s backcountry web page, http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm.

Visitors may also call park headquarters at 406-888-7800 for current conditions.